What businesses need in our city leaders to move Phoenix forward

Last week Mayor Greg Stanton formerly announced his resignation from his role as Mayor of the City of Phoenix.

As our Mayor prepares for his next chapter, we reflect on his tenure and see the significant impact he’s had in our community and improving Phoenix’s economic health.

During his six years as Phoenix’s Mayor, I’ve had the pleasure of developing a close, working relationship with Mayor Stanton and his team. Together, the Chamber and the City of Phoenix have worked to increase our economic growth, support business retention and expansion efforts and to move Phoenix forward.

From his leadership in forging a relationship with communities in Mexico, our state’s top trading partner, to his focus on fostering innovation and supporting business through workforce development, Mayor Stanton has been the leader that we needed after the Great Recession. I believe that he always put Phoenix first and aimed to make policy that was economically sound for our growing region.

With Mayor Stanton stepping down and the key to the city being passed on to the fearless and experienced Vice Mayor Thelda Williams as interim Mayor, I know that our city will be in trusted hands.

However, as the election for Mayor begins and individuals announce their candidacy, I want to be vocal in expressing that while we need an experienced and informed leader, the business community also needs a leader who understands the unique needs of Phoenix businesses.

As the mayoral race gets started, the business community is seeking a leader with the following qualities to propel us into the next decade:

• A leader who values economic development and the results that economic development can drive in growing our community.
• A leader who is eager to work with the business community and understands the dangers that burdensome regulation poses to our sustained economic growth.
• A leader who focuses on collaborative solutions to real-life problems that hinder our ability to grow, innovative, and adapt to a rapidly changing environment.

Although we did not always agree on policy, I’m proud of the collaborative relationship that the Chamber has with our Mayor, and I look forward to building a similar relationship with our next city leader. By working together we can continue moving Phoenix, and Arizona, forward toward prosperous future.